HonorBound
by DeadOfNight
Summary: IYxRK crossover. In the uncertain times of the Sengoku Jidai, a young, inexperienced daimyo must protect and serve his han. Friends and family lend him much needed strength, but is this enough? And why are the Inuyashagumi suddenly on his doorstep?
1. Prologue

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* * *

shishou_ master

_baka yuushi_ stupid nephew

_oji-ue_ "Uncle" (archaic; polite)

_ki wo tsukete_ Take care.

* * *

**Honor-Bound**

_by Dead of Night _

* * *

_prologue_

Once upon a time, upon the soft green slopes of a formidable mountain, where bright rivers tumbled through vast fields that blazed with green and gold, a great daimyo ruled over a quiet, peaceful han.

In that han the proud name of the daimyo had been passed on through many generations, and now it was Hiko Seijuurou the Thirteenth who governed, with a wisdom and justice that had helped his han become one of the happiest and most prosperous domains in the land.

Hiko Seijuurou the Thirteenth had no lady or children of his own, but had raised from their infancy the three children of his brother, who died from a terrible illness together with his young wife. And so in the daimyo's castle grew up two young and dashing boys named Kenshin and Sanosuke and a single effervescent girl, Misao. Kenshin, the eldest, was the softer-spoken and more somber of the two boys, with a shy smile, gentle mien, and solemn violet eyes that he inherited from his late and much lamented mother. Sanosuke, tall and dark-featured and roguish, looked and acted more like his father. Between the two of them, the daimyo's sons captured virtually all the hearts of the ladies of the han. For her part, the youngest, Misao, enthralled the menfolk with her eyes blue as the distant ocean, her exquisite skin like porcelain, and her hair black and shining like the great river under the new moon.

Trouble was ever to be found on the borders of the han in that uncertain age, and the matchless strength and skill of Hiko Seijuurou the Thirteenth was invaluable for preserving the peace. To the children in his care, the heirs of the han, Hiko devoted himself to teaching the ways of the warrior. Kenshin seemed to have inherited his uncle's talent for the sword, although Hiko's pride would never allow him to speak much of the boy's remarkable skills. Sanosuke was fearsome even with just his bare hands, and Misao's agility and speed suited her perfectly for the arts of stealth.

Time wore on. The rice in the bright green fields grew heavy and ripe many times over, and before anyone was quite aware of it, Misao had seen fifteen harvest moons wax and wane.

When the great river broke free of the winter frost that followed, Hiko Seijuurou the Thirteenth packed a meager bundle of possessions and called his young wards together in the dead of night.

"W-what do you mean, you're leaving?" gasped Kenshin, violet eyes wide. "Shishou!"

"I mean exactly what I say, baka yuushi," snapped Hiko, who hated repeating himself. "If you're not paying attention, maybe I should leave the roosterhead in charge instead—"

"Oh, no, Kenshin can take care of it," interrupted Sanosuke nervously, clapping his older brother on the shoulder and grinning weakly. "Right, Kenshin?" But his brother had fallen silent and merely stood frowning at his uncle and teacher, his fists clenched at his side.

"When are you coming back, oji-ue?" asked Misao, coming to stand on the other side of her eldest brother.

"I don't know. But I don't think it will be soon. I have my own affairs to attend to, and I've put them off for too long." Hiko strode up to his wards, eyeing them sternly. The three met his gaze directly, even though his powerfully muscled figure dwarfed them all in the dim light of the hall.

"You're all of age now," he said at last, gruffly. "Not that that gets any of you half the brains or brawn I had when I was that age"—he let them pretend he didn't see the long-suffering looks they exchanged—"but at least I don't have to hold back anymore if I come back and find the han in ruins and have to kick all of your asses."

"Like you ever held back," muttered Misao.

"You two are responsible for your sister," continued Hiko smoothly, addressing the two boys.

"What--!" Misao flashed her kunai, more out of instinct than any real disrespect, but Hiko silenced her with a glare.

"...and _you_"—he waited until she shamefacedly lowered her weapons—"are responsible for your brothers. Make sure these blockheads wear clean clothes and don't kill any innocent traders, and..." He arched an eyebrow at Sano. "...don't eat anything off the floor."

"Hey!" roared Sanosuke, as Misao erupted into laughter. He promptly headlocked her. "Why you little weasel..."

"'Of age,' don't make me laugh," grumbled Hiko to himself, turning his back. Sano and Misao were now busy wrestling with each other and Kenshin had simply bowed his head in silence, lost in thought.

Casting a last, lingering glance around—Misao, flushed with the excitement of a fight; Sanosuke, grinning cockily; Kenshin, his usually bright eyes lost in the shadow of his fire-colored hair... Hiko hefted his pack onto one massive shoulder.

"Right, I've wasted enough of my time on you idiots."

He stalked down the hall toward the doors at the end, acutely aware of Sano and Misao's scuffle slowing to a halt as they realized he really was leaving.

Kenshin, for his part, made no movement, spoke not a word. Of all the children, Hiko knew, for all his cleverness and his skill with the sword, he was the most given to thought and careful deliberation—as perhaps was only fitting for the leadership he would assume.

Given to thought and caution—and to doubt and uncertainty as well.

Cursing himself for spoiling his brother's kids too much, Hiko stopped just before the doors.

"This is your han now. And together, the three of you _will_ protect it."

He realized belatedly that he was gripping the strings of his pack a little too tightly. Scowling, he shoved open the door.

"Yes, shishou."

He stopped again at Kenshin's low voice. Hiko didn't need to turn around to see Misao and Sanosuke step up wordlessly beside their brother, the two younger faces equally honest and solemn as his beneath their scrapes and bruises.

"Ki wo tsukete, oji-ue," said Misao, her tone unusually subdued.

Hiko Seijuurou the Thirteenth allowed himself a tiny, tiny smile in the darkness of the hall.

Then he left, slamming the doors behind him.

_tsuzuku

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_

The crossover with _Inuyasha_ is coming... I promise! I'm still not totally sure where to take this, so reviews would be great!


	2. Safe Passage

**Honor-Bound**

by Dead of Night

* * *

_chapter one_

**Safe Passage **

"Houshi-sama!" shouted Sango, her long ponytail whipping in her wake, as Kirara swooped toward the monk running along the branch of the tree.

"Sango!" Miroku shouted back. The next moment he had caught hold of the taijiya's outstretched hand and swung himself up onto Kirara's back behind her. Ahead of them, the river youkai's many heads reared and snapped as Kirara smoothly soared into the sky, just out of the reach of their deadly teeth. One serpentine head arched toward the afternoon sun and let out an earsplitting screech of rage.

Sango met Miroku's eyes; he nodded. The taijiya understood. "Hiraikotsu!"

The boomerang snapped out, spinning faster than the eye could see, and it swiftly tore through three of the creature's necks, thick gray blood spattering everywhere. Before the heads could reattach and heal yet again, Miroku unwound the sealing beads around his hand. "Kazaana!"

The three heads soon vanished, their shrill wailing echoed horribly by the four left on the youkai's bleeding body. Two of the heads spat twin rivers of shimmering acid. Kirara leaped clear of one, but great drops from the other splattered on her and her riders. Kirara hissed and recoiled as the acid burned into her soft underbelly.

"Finally! It's our turn now!" roared Inuyasha, not without glee, arriving at last with Kagome on his back and Shippou clinging to his arm. "Out of the way, you idiots!" Setting down his companions, he unsheathed Tessaiga. As the river youkai strained after the swiftly fleeing demon-cat, Inuyasha drove forward and slashed at one of the scaly necks with the transformed blade. "Oei, you better pay attention to the one that's gonna kill you!"

"The heads reattach!" shouted Miroku as he leaped off the injured cat. The houshi was tightly gripping his arm above the elbow, and his face was pale.

Inuyasha had already seen the deep cut magically heal. He dodged the poison that came flying his way. "Got it!" Behind him rose the noxious smell of melting tree.

"She's worse off than I am," said Miroku through gritted teeth, nodding at Sango as Kagome glanced at him anxiously. The taijiya was white as a sheet, biting her lip and trembling as she peeled off her leg armor.

"I'm just glad it didn't hit Hiraikotsu," she whispered shakily as Kagome knelt down beside her. "I've never seen poison so strong—"

Her words was lost in a tremendous splash as Kirara plunged into the icy river.

"Stop, bouzu!" Inuyasha leaped to place himself directly in front of the monk, who had been unwrapping his sealing beads again. "Take Sango and get into the water!"

"But the heads—" Miroku stopped; his own head had suddenly spun from the burning pain in his arm.

"It's time you little fucker got into the fight!"

For a moment Miroku wondered dizzily just whether Inuyasha wanted him to fight or not; but then a reedy little screech came to his ears.

"Kitsune-bi!"

Blue flame blazed on the freshly severed neck. Miroku hefted a shaky Sango into his arms and ran for the river.

But just as he came to the edge of the bank, a huge pearl-scaled tail whipped out of the foaming water, forcing the monk to leap back into the cover of the forest. Frenzied with pain and frustration, the youkai's long silvery body writhed and thrashed in the roiling water. Mist and droplets splashed into the acid burns on Sango and Miroku's skin, and Miroku nearly dropped the taijiya as he fell to his knees with a choked cry.

"Houshi-sama," hissed Sango, gripping his uninjured arm.

"Piece of shit youkai! You're wasting my fuckin' time! Hijin Kessou!"

The thin blades caught the sunlight with a blood-red glitter and then slashed off the last three heads. Repeating his earlier, successful attack, Inuyasha lobbed Shippou forward. The little kitsune frowned in concentration as he sailed through the air.

"Kitsune-bi!"

The blue fire sparked, and Shippou quickly tossed the feeble flame at the bleeding stumps of youkai necks...

...where it sputtered and died.

"Ack!" Shippou frantically waved his arms as he felt himself start to fall—straight toward a gaping, screeching, sharp-fanged maw.

"Useless little—" Thankfully the wind drowned out the rest of Inuyasha's words as the hanyou plucked the kitsune out of the air, just as the sharp teeth snapped beneath their feet. "Hijin Kessou!" Inuyasha shouted again, and his blades ripped apart the three necks that had just been beginning to fuse with their severed heads.

_Darn it!_ Not for the first time since the fight began, Kagome cursed herself for having run out of arrows. She crouched uncertainly beside her pack, clutching her bow, not for the first time wishing she had an alternative weapon.

"Houriki!" Despite his ebbing strength and the pain that seemed to eat through to the bone, Miroku's ofuda flew straight and true as any miko's arrow. They stuck fast to the three screaming heads—and melted uselessly.

Kirara's angry roar was just echoing through the river canyon when a new voice shouted, "Futae no Kiwami!"

And everyone watched in surprise as the three youkai heads, still floating in midair, suddenly exploded. The next moment, the snakelike body also ripped apart. Miroku bent over Sango, covering them both with his robe. Inuyasha leaped back to shield Kagome and flung his arm across his face against the hail of gory youkai remains.

"Toriatama no _baka!_" came an annoyed female yell.

Kagome, peeking despite herself past the shelter of Inuyasha's body, gasped.

On the other side of the river, the air shimmered silvery-pink. The rain of bits of youkai bounced harmlessly off the barrier to fall into the river, which ran dark gray with demon blood.

Just inside the protective barrier stood a tall woman in flowing rose-colored robes, her hands raised and her long black hair floating with the waves of her power as she kept up the shield.

A loud splash and a strangled feminine cry told Kagome that Miroku had lost no time in plunging both himself and Sango into the river.

"Are you okay, Inuyasha?" she asked, but hardly expected an answer. The hanyou had left his protective stance for a new one. Inuyasha stood defensively in front of her, his hand resting on Tessaiga in its sheath, staring down a tall young human who looked about as grouchy as Inuyasha usually did.

"That's no way to thank the guy who just saved your lives," said the young man, eyeing Inuyasha warily. He himself stood casually, but light caught on the gauntlets on his hands.

_So he was the one,_ thought Kagome numbly, remembering the sudden attack that finished off the youkai. _He must've been moving too fast for me to see._

"He's right, Inuyasha," she said, tugging at the wary hanyou's sleeve. Inuyasha stared—with a trace of grudging respect—at the stranger for another long moment, then with a graceless "Keh" leaped off out of sight among the trees, presumably to see to the taijiya and the monk.

"I'm sorry." Bowing, Kagome found herself blushing before the young fighter—who, she noticed belatedly, was quite handsome. "He's grateful for your help, just like the rest of us, only he has absolutely no clue how to show it..."

"You think I don't hear you, bitch?" came the angry howl from the river.

Kagome clenched her fists. "OSUWARI!"

"AAAARRGGH!" And there was a tremendous splash.

"Insolent hanyou whelp!" rang out a deep feminine voice. Kagome saw the stranger flinch.

"It-t-t-t-t-tai! Not the ears!" came the yelp. The way his voice burbled, Kagome knew she had "sat" him into the river. "I swear, when I get up, youkai bitch..."

"I guess he's met the Megitsune," smirked the young man. He caught Kagome's questioning glance and grinned. After a moment, Kagome grinned back.

"Sanosuke," said the young man, holding out his hand.

"Higurashi Kagome," said Kagome, clasping it, the metal of his gauntlet cool against her fingertips.

"Well met, dog-tamer." Sano picked up her heavy backpack and shouldered it, motioning toward the river. "Now let's see how that pet hanyou of yours is doing."

* * *

The story was simple enough, and it was one they had used not a few times before to ease their passage through foreign territory. They were a band of professional youkai exterminators, traveling wherever youkai got notoriously too aggressive, and happily wiping them out in exchange for accommodations and the occasional free meal. Inuyasha never really enjoyed the pretense, but he generally stayed quiet—under Kagome's watchful eye—as Miroku sweetly told the little lies that had bought them acceptance and relative peace from other villagers before in their pursuit of the Shikon shards.

But when Sanosuke casually revealed that he was in fact the little brother of the han's lordship and that he would present them officially at the castle, Kagome saw Inuyasha's amber eyes flare and knew that it wasn't going to be so easy this time.

"Like hell we're going with you!" sniffed Inuyasha, glaring at the young fighter.

"Kagome," whispered Shippou uneasily from his perch in Kagome's arms, tugging at a lock of her hair for attention and glancing over at the kitsune youkai who was still helping bandage Sango's burned leg. The kitsune onna kept at her work quietly, but her pointed ears had pricked at Inuyasha's outburst.

"Inuyasha," said Kagome, laying a hand on his sleeve. If anything, Inuyasha's scowl only deepened.

"The offer is most kind, sire," began Miroku tactfully, managing a deep bow despite his bandaged arm, "but we must admit we lowly travelers are not used to such honors—"

"It's not an offer." Sanosuke's voice had suddenly grown distant and cool. "You enter our han, you play by our rules. And right now, the rules say you meet Kensh—the daimyo—before you do anything else."

Kagome and Miroku exchanged worried glances. Sano made perfect sense, but Inuyasha was often too impatient to be reasonable. The hanyou turned away, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't play by any stupid human rules." He nodded toward the others. "We go where we want, how we want, and if anything, we talk to the village headman or whatever little shit we have to deal with. Whoever that daimyo guy is, he can just stuff it up his—"

"Inuyasha!" hissed Kagome, pulling him aside. Out the corner of her eye, she saw Sano seething; she guessed the sharp look the kitsune onna shot him was the only thing keeping him in place. Already Miroku was starting damage control in his most honeyed tones, though the monk's face was terribly flushed and a twitch had begun in his forehead. "We really don't need that kind of attitude right now!"

Inuyasha glowered. "But this arrogant asshole just makes me wanna—"

Shippou pouted. "Inuyasha, if he gets mad and they kick us out of here, and if Megumi-sama gets mad..."

"Keh! Like I'm scared of them! Like you should be scared of them," and Inuyasha's glare was full of reproach.

"Inuyasha." Kagome sighed and lowered her gaze; the hanyou's protectiveness was endearing, but he didn't have the best sense of timing in the world. Kagome cast about for a more effective argument. "If they ban us from this area, we'll never get to look for the shards here."

That did it, as it usually did. Inuyasha's ears twitched her way despite himself. "Shards?"

Kagome nodded.

"As in plural?"

She fixed him with a look. "_Now_ are you coming?"

Inuyasha's growl bloomed deep in his throat, but he quickly swallowed it back. "Feh." Sullenly he looked away. "I'm not sleeping under some human idiot's watch."

Kagome smiled. "You rarely like to sleep indoors anyway. We'll see what we can do."

Meanwhile, a small distance away from them, the youkai woman was just finishing the bandages on Sango's leg. Her clawed hands surprised the taijiya with their nimbleness. "That should do it, Sango-san."

Sango blinked, then wiggled her toes and slowly flexed her leg, astonishment spreading across her pretty features. "Megumi-san!"

The young kitsune onna merely smiled and rose to her feet. "Healing magic has always been the talent of my kin." She reached to help Sango stand. "Your hanyou friend seems to be having a problem."

Sango flushed, glancing over to where Kagome was hastily pacifying the surly hanyou. After all this time traveling with her motley, beloved companions, she hated the idea of apologizing for them, but... "Please forgive him, Megumi-san," she whispered, even more uncomfortable at the—less than strictly polite—name the kitsune youkai had insisted she use. "It hasn't been easy for him..."

"It is never easy for any hanyou," murmured the young woman, and Sango was struck by the quiet sadness in her voice.

As Megumi moved to stand beside Sanosuke, Kagome went to stand beside Miroku, who was running out of placating things to say and feeling distinctly put-upon. "Sorry about that," she said brightly to the annoyed young fighter. "We're going with you, of course."

"I was wondering if she'd have to knock you out," muttered Sano.

"Oh hush. You're just impatient because you're hungry." Megumi plucked two leaves from an overhanging maple.

"Damn right I am. The sun's practically setting already, and those mochi balls were—ulp!"

Sanosuke's indignant words were lost in the rush of wind and Megumi's teasing laughter, as two gigantic maple leaves materialized to lift all of them into the air and speed them toward the daimyo's castle.

* * *

"...What does it take to drive it into your thick skull, roosterhead? That creature was poisoned! Because of your recklessness, I had to put up a barrier!"

"Well, excuuuuse me for not looking where the dead bits go while I'm busy saving other people's lives!"

"Don't flatter yourself. You only defeated it because of the gauntlets _I_ gave you!"

"Oh yeah? Well I'd like to see _you_ kick some youkai ass with those dainty little hands of yours!"

Kagome and the others sweatdropped as they discreetly pretended not to listen to the kitsune youkai and the young human fighter bickering behind them.

"They're almost as bad as you and Inuyasha, Kagome," whispered Shippou from Kagome's shoulder.

"Almost?" she squeaked.

But Shippou didn't hear her; he'd already hopped off her shoulder and skittered to the very edge of the flying maple leaf, balancing precariously as only a child could. As Kagome cautiously crept up behind him, he loudly admired the view, the forest beneath them giving way to green, rolling plains, sparkling streams... and then both of them cried out in horror.

The blackened, deserted remains of a large village were strewn across a broad slope that had been scorched clear of grass. The damage must have been recent; the mild scent of burned wood hung low in the air, and flaky ash stirred in their wake as they flew past. A few people here and there were timidly picking through the ruins, wailing and sobbing occasionally breaking the hush that had come over the countryside. On the outskirts of the village, a wide plot of freshly turned earth signified a mass grave.

Kagome whispered a prayer, then looked over to the other flying leaf to see Miroku and Sango's heads similarly bowed. Sanosuke looked angry, while beside him Megumi's eyes was shadowed, her head turned away.

There was little time for further thought, however, because the daimyo's imposing castle soon came into view. As the leaves began to descend, Kagome sensed Inuyasha catch his breath and stiffen behind her. "What is it?"

He scowled. "Barriers all over the place."

As the little party drifted to the ground in the inner courtyard, Kagome gaped in wonder at the vast sprawling gardens, obviously tended with meticulous care. Traditionally peaked roofs capped four storeys of simple but elegant architecture. As Sanosuke helped Megumi down from the flying leaf, Kagome, her wide eyes drinking in all the new sights, saw two figures appear in the soaring arch that was the central entryway.

The first to approach them was a slightly built young man, much shorter than Sanosuke and so delicately attractive as to be practically beautiful. The dark colors of his noble garb highlighted hair the color of raging fire tied messily at the back of his neck, and eyes that softly glowed violet when he turned and met Kagome's gaze. She felt her cheeks heat and hastily looked at the ground.

The other man, taller even than Sanosuke and heavily armored, was quick to follow the nobleman. His otherwise handsome face was absolutely expressionless as he swept a piercing blue-eyed gaze over the group, lingering longest on Inuyasha—who met his eyes directly, ears flattening back and clawed hand tightening over Tessaiga's hilt—before flicking away.

"Welcome back, Sano," said the first young man as he clasped his brother's hand. "Our gratitude, as always, Megumi-dono." The youkai lady returned his nod with a graceful bow, then Kenshin turned to Inuyasha's group. "And you are...?"

At a gesture from Sanosuke, Miroku made the introductions, his dulcet tones and elegant speech calculated to please. "We would be honored to serve your people if your lordship allows," the monk concluded, making a deep bow that his companions quickly imitated—except for Inuyasha, who stood defiantly straight and met the daimyo's gaze with a hint of rebellion.

For his part, the young lord Himura stared thoughtfully at the hanyou for several moments without speaking. "And what reward have you in mind for your noble efforts, Sir Monk?" he asked finally, his gaze still on Inuyasha.

Miroku bowed again. "Merely safe passage, your lordship. Our crusade against youkai who turn their powers on innocent humans is, one might say, a purely personal one."

"Is it, now." A ghost of a smile curved the young man's lips. This time, he seemed to be addressing Inuyasha directly.

For a moment, the hanyou seemed irresolute—grimly staring back at the young daimyo without a word.

Then, "We got our own reasons," he snapped, folding his arms across his chest again.

Kenshin's cool gaze lingered for just another moment on Inuyasha before moving back to Miroku.

"We appreciate your services, Sir Monk. As our guests, please enjoy the humble hospitality we extend to you and your companions. I see Megumi-dono has already seen to your wounds. I bid you rest and refresh yourselves, and tomorrow morning we shall discuss matters more fully."

And that, Kagome realized belatedly as the young fire-haired daimyo turned abruptly away, was that.

Well, at least there would be hot baths tonight...

_tsuzuku

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	3. Foxfire

_kuso kitsune_ damn fox

* * *

**Honor-Bound**

by Dead Of Night

* * *

_chapter two_

**Foxfire **

* * *

The summer wind busied itself among the trees that night. The rustling leaves hid the little noise that Inuyasha's movements made as he leaped restlessly from one branch to the next. 

He'd stayed indoors after dinner only long enough to make sure Kagome wasn't molested by any stray-handed monks during her beloved bath—and to discover, when a conversation with the coy kitsune youkai got too heated, that the castle was swimming in invisible protective magic that effectively dissuaded him from drawing his sword. Well, he preferred sleeping under the stars anyway.

Soon he settled down comfortably on a broad, sturdy branch, shrouded conveniently in shadow, of a tree on the edge of an outer garden. The waning moon overhead was a pale yellow sliver of light amid fleecy gray clouds.

He hadn't been sitting long when the musky smell of human male sang faintly in his senses. Far from sleep, he crouched tensely on his branch, ears twitching instinctively toward faint, distant voices.

Two figures emerged onto a high castle balcony. Inuyasha noted the low, thick ponytail of dully gleaming hair of the shorter figure and the long, unfettered hair of the taller one: the young daimyo with whom Kagome had seemed so quickly smitten and the kitsune onna who had threatened to permanently seal Miroku's wandering eyes shut.

Inuyasha didn't waste time on second thoughts or decorum. Within moments he was crouching near enough to hear their low conversation. The kitsune was speaking, her soft voice lilting, low and pleasant like water over stones.

"...polluting the river. They were smart enough to use an odorless, colorless poison. I would hardly have noticed it myself if the suijin hadn't reacted so badly."

The daimyo—Kenshin, was it?—looked grim. "They may not have succeeded in poisoning any humans, but they did get to destroy one of the oldest and strongest protectors we had on our borders."

"True. I went there hoping I could still fix whatever damage had been caused, but..." Megumi shook her head. "It's a good thing you sent us when you did, though, Ken-san. It could have been much worse."

Kenshin sighed. "It could have been much better, Megumi-dono."

"Silly man. You did all you could; in many ways it's far more than any human man could have possibly done. That you knew exactly where we'd be needed at exactly what time is by itself a wonderful thing." The kitsune turned away, breeze-borne hair obscuring her features. "_You_ certainly can't be expected to know everything that's going on in your territory all at once."

His ears straining, Inuyasha wondered if he had merely imagined the slight emphasis she placed on that word; but judging from the way his head snapped toward her, the daimyo Kenshin had heard it too.

"Everything all right, boys and girls?" drawled a new, much louder voice, and Sanosuke joined his brother and the kitsune outside. "I just saw to those exterminators. They're turnin' in and I didn't talk to 'em, but I can't find the hanyou," he finished, more seriously.

Kenshin frowned. "Call Aoshi—"

"No need, Ken-san." At Megumi's touch on his sleeve, Kenshin fell silent, glancing at her searchingly. "The hanyou means us no harm. He's said that he doesn't care for sleeping indoors."

Her voice was as mild as ever, but suddenly Inuyasha knew she had known he was there all along.

Kenshin, for his part, immediately tensed, his ki spiking suddenly as he clicked his sword out of its sheath. Sanosuke wordlessly moved to his side, fists and feet readying in a defensive stance and dark eyes scanning the night as though daring a murderous Inuyasha to leap out at them.

"I assure you"—pearl-white in the tainted moonlight was the kitsune's slender hand, laid gently on Kenshin's swordarm—"tonight, at least, we need not fear the son of the great Inu no Taishou."

The silvery gauntlets on Sano's fists flashed as he relaxed, though his brown eyes still searched the shadows. Inuyasha, well hidden in the shifting leaves, scoffed. _Paltry human eyes._

Quietly, Kenshin asked, "Shall we be so quick to trust these strangers, Megumi-dono?"

"Their story stinks," muttered Sano.

"Anyone who believed their story would have to be even stupider than you, toriatama, and that's simply not possible," said Megumi smoothly.

Sano flushed. "WHAT!"

"Maa maa!" Kenshin groaned, throwing up his hands in exasperation as Megumi began to laugh. "Megumi-dono, you really must stop baiting him—"

"Oh, but he rises to it everytime, doesn't he?" tittered seven or eight Megumis that had suddenly appeared around the balcony, fox ears twitching mischievously. A chorus of teasing laughter rippled through the air; Sanosuke grew increasingly red in the face, snarling unintelligibly, lunging at the giggling illusions one by one as each disappeared with a puff of brown smoke at his approach. Inuyasha watched and sweatdropped. If Shippou ever did _that_ to him, the little runt wouldn't live to reach puberty...

"Megumi-dono," said Kenshin mildly.

Caught off balance, Sano stumbled headfirst through another illusory kitsune just as it poofed out of sight, leaving only faint echoes of taunting mirth. With another oath, Sano rounded on the last Megumi who was left, muffling her laughter in her sleeve and quite red in the face. "YOU!"

"Sano," cut in Kenshin, his tone both gentle and firm, "walk with me awhile."

Sanosuke, shoving his hands deep in his pockets with a scowl, abruptly turned and walked out of sight into the castle, passing the kitsune onna without a word. Megumi, for her part, turned up her chin defiantly and looked away. The image was familiar to Inuyasha; Kagome behaved in much the same way whenever she was being stubborn.

Kenshin politely took his leave of the kitsune onna, who permitted him with a slight, embarrassed dash of color across her cheeks. Megumi stood motionless at the edge of the balcony, seemingly lost in thought, for several long moments after doors had slid shut and footsteps had moved away into the castle.

"You have heard me, Inuyasha-sama, son of the Inu no Taishou. On your father's name, you shall bring no danger to this han."

"Keh." Inuyasha's feet made no sound as he landed on the balcony behind the kitsune youkai. "I make my own promises, bitch, and I ain't makin' any to you."

But she had given of her own powers to heal Sango, Miroku, and Kirara, and for now, at least, they were staying at the castle under her protection. By the unperturbed silence Megumi kept in response to his statement, Inuyasha knew that she, too, recognized and acknowledged his debt of honor to her. Not without grave reason would he betray her trust now.

"You knew my father?"

"He had dealings with my kin in these lands. Of him I heard nothing but nobility and fairness and generosity." Megumi paused. "With humans as well as youkai."

Inuyasha grunted and shrugged, idly tracing Tessaiga's sheath at his hip. "Yeah, whatever. He's dead now."

"So he is. And what brings one of his children to this place, in such unusual company?"

Inuyasha snorted. "Like you said, bitch, someone'd have to be really stupid to believe our story."

A corner of her mouth quirked in a smile. "That strange girl bears the Shikon no Tama."

"Kagome," muttered Inuyasha, absent-mindedly. Kami knew the girl had taken great pains to drill her name into his head. "It's broken though."

"And here you seek its pieces."

Kagome should've known better than to talk about the shards at the riverbank, when a youkai, with a youkai's sharp hearing, was so close by. "Yeah, we heard this was youkai paradise all of a sudden, so we figured something was up."

Megumi frowned. "The youkai began appearing several months ago. Before then, we hadn't had so much trouble with them in centuries. I've had to relearn skills that my mother's mother last used."

Inuyasha said nothing, wordlessly noted the undercurrent of worry in the youkai woman's voice. Megumi was not much older than him, he realized now, perhaps even younger than that blasted half-brother of his, who at his age was just coming into the fullness of his power. As she stood not far from him, Megumi's youki was strong and pure; she seemed proudly confident in her power and in the authority with which she wielded it in her rightful territory.

Every youkai had his own ki, and each particular blend of energies manifested itself in unique ways to those who could sense it. To Inuyasha, Megumi's youki as it radiated from her was warm, rich, and heady, like rose petals. The magic that preserved and protected the han and its castle was ancient, had been continually strengthened over the ages; but what struck Inuyasha now was that the energy surging in the fiercely defensive barriers sang most clearly of roses and summer, burned with thickly scented richness—belonged almost exclusively to this kitsune onna.

With new curiosity, he watched Megumi out the corner of his eye.

"You're the only one left, aren't you." It was not a question, and Inuyasha was deliberately blunt.

He got his answer. Color sprang into the kitsune onna's cheeks, she drew herself to her full, formidable height, considerably taller than him; her eyes, flaring with sudden wariness, flicked toward him imperiously.

"I am of the house of Takani. We have been the guardians of these lands for centuries without count. We will remain for centuries yet, Inuyasha-sama."

Kitsune youkai were legendary for their supernatural beauty. Inuyasha had known a few of them in his life and could not possibly deny that the legends were indeed true—but Megumi, standing tall and proud and cold in the honeyed moonlight, her skin softly glowing and her face exquisite in its delicately outlined features, put all his memories to shame.

Inuyasha stared back without flinching, despite the energy he could feel gathering around them. Bright amber met burning cinnamon.

She hid it well, this painfully beautiful creature, but she was afraid, so very afraid.

Beneath the haughty exterior and careful strength, for all her power and knowledge, this young kitsune youkai was full of uncertainty.

Inuyasha's harsh words finally broke the stillness.

"Feh. Quit showin' off." _You don't fool me,_ he almost added, but snatched back the words before they burned into her pride. Megumi continued to watch him in stony silence.

After a moment's hesitation, he nodded once, still meeting her gaze head on but deliberately flattening back his ears in a show of deference. "I may be a hanyou, but I know when it's somebody else's turf."

For just a moment longer her distant gaze lingered on him; but then she relaxed, softened the proud lines of her body, permitted herself a small, open smile. She looked away. "Hanyou or not, you are welcome in our domain, Inuyasha-sama. Please"—she bowed slightly—"rest easy tonight. You and your friends have a long day tomorrow."

"Keh! Our kind is much stronger than any of those pathetic humans and you know it." Inuyasha glanced at her irritably. "And stop calling me that, bitch."

Megumi's ears twitched. "Inuyasha-sam—"

"That's enough," growled Inuyasha.

She hid her amused smile behind her sleeve. "Oh, but that would hardly be appropriate. You are, after all, the second son of one of the greatest tai-youkai in recent memory, Inuyasha-sa—"

But he had already left, snapping at her something incoherent and annoyed over his shoulder as he leaped off the balcony rail into the cover of the trees. Barely disrupting the night wind that rushed among the boughs, Inuyasha bounded from one to the other deeper into the foliage, sensing behind him, fading with the growing distance, the kitsune youkai's quiet amusement.

On the ledge of the open window to the room Sango, Shippou, and Kagome shared, Kirara dozed quietly in her kitten form. As Inuyasha soundlessly leaped through the window, the nekomata examined him with one large, fiery eye before calmly closing it and going back to sleep.

With the haze of protection blanketing the castle, even the taijiya, it seemed, had let down her guard enough to fall deeply asleep. Kagome, almost smiling, lay sprawled across her futon as though she were reveling in the feel of it beneath her body. She rarely got to sleep on a real futon when they were on their shard hunts.

She was so pretty like that, her black hair spread all over her pillow, cheeks still faintly pink from the scrubbing she must have had in the bath, that Inuyasha couldn't help but stoop over her, drawing a deep breath of her scent, careful not to wake her or Shippou tucked under her arm.

Her constant whining about baths tended to grate on his nerves, but he had to admit there was nothing quite like the smell of freshly washed Kagome.

Yes, Miroku was going to have their room all to himself tonight.

_Inuyasha-sama._ "Keh," said Inuyasha under his breath as he settled into the corner near the open window, sitting up against the wall in his customary position and letting his thoughts wander, feeling sleep start to encroach on his senses.

From what he had seen, the castle was a huge and solidly built structure, many storeys high, the great halls lofty and dark and smelling faintly of oiled wood. It was perhaps not so old in youkai years, but by human count, it was an excellently preserved relic. No doubt the dozens of well-trained servants were instrumental in this.

As he drifted off to sleep, Inuyasha remembered the sumptuous food that had been served, the glow in Kagome's eyes as she had marveled at the taste, the presentation, the impeccable courtesy and elegance with which everything was served. She had been thoroughly delighted at the idea of having a bath as well, and for once, not out in the open either, where lecherous young ex-monks could too easily find a vantage point. Inuyasha had openly ridiculed her for her enthuastically exclaiming over the stupidest little things, like stupid little porcelain animal figures serving as chopstick rests, and stupid little flowers in the stupid bathwater...

...but now he couldn't help but breathe deeply of the fresh, flowery smell that Kagome's still-warm skin gave off in waves, couldn't help but remember the happy curve of her lips as she snuggled deeper into her thick blankets.

He thought of so many nights spent on the rough, cold ground, Kagome edging her bedroll as close to the fire as possible without setting it alight, mentioning the chill when he asked her why. Kagome frowning in concentration as she gutted and cleaned the fish he had caught for dinner. Kagome surreptitiously holding herself apart from him when he carried her on his back, and shyly confessing that she didn't want him to smell her after having gone so long without a decent bath.

"_Inuyasha-sama, son of the Inu no Taishou... one of the greatest tai-youkai in recent memory..."_

_Kuso kitsune, _growled Inuyasha to himself. Firmly shutting off his wandering thoughts, he closed his eyes and gave in to a fitful sleep.

_tsuzuku_

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**A/N.** Very sorry for the slow update rate. Am still trying to figure out where my muse is taking me with this. Reviews and tactful, constructive would be much appreciated and would help speed up the updates! (Assuming you _want_ updates, that is. Eep!) 


	4. Meet the Weasel

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**glossary**_

_kunoichi_ a female ninja

_shinobi_ a.k.a. ninja; warriors trained in stealth over physical force

_shozoku_ clothes typically worn by ninja

_kiai_ the shout one makes while practicing martial arts moves, supposedly to help gather one's energies, etc.

_kata_ the memorized sets of forms and moves to help ingrain important skills into someone training in martial arts

_wakizashi_ the short blade Sango wears. I'm not sure about this since I don't think it's ever referred to by a specific name or label in either the manga or anime. But it's definitely shorter than a typical katana...

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**Honor-Bound**

by Dead of Night

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_chapter three_

**Meet the Weasel**

Kagome was roused from a dream of lovely flame-bright hair by the sounds of footsteps hurrying to and fro and hushed, sharp commands. From outside, the echoes of shouted military orders drifted to her ears. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she sat up in the futon to find her other companions already gathered and preparing for the day. As Kagome hastily shoved aside her blanket, dismayed at the thought of having awoken later than the others, Sango came into view from behind the screen in the corner wearing her taijiya armor, tying her hair into its ponytail with a brisk jerk of her hands.

"'Bout time you got up, wench," grumbled Inuyasha, who was eyeing her from his seat by the window, Tessaiga in its customary place in his crossed arms.

"We've only been up about fifteen minutes," said Sango more gently as Kirara leaped up onto her shoulder. But already Kagome had splashed her face with water from the jug that had been provided, and now the girl ducked behind the folding screen to change into her school uniform.

"It sounds like an army's forming out there," called out Kagome from behind the screen.

"That seems to be the case." Miroku, who had discreetly been trying to see whether the rising sun would outline female forms against the screen, caught Sango's searing glare and sighed, obediently turning his head away. "From what I've overheard from the servants—not that anyone's actually informed us of what's happening—there have been reports of aggressive youkai approaching one of the farther villages, and Kenshin-sama is preparing to meet them with his soldiers."

"Then we should come, too!" Her hair only half brushed in her haste, Kagome began to fold her futon.

"No can do, dog-tamer," drawled a new voice, and they all glanced toward the suddenly open doorway to find Sanosuke standing there, clad in light armor and rather less than formal battle garb. Though his tone was light, there was a serious look to the dark eyes that caused Kagome's protests to die in her throat. "I'm sure you'll understand if we leave you folks here till we come back. We still have some stuff we gotta talk about."

Sango frowned. "But we can help!" Behind her, Miroku nodded firmly.

"Sorry." Sano's handsome face was blank. "I'm sure you understand." He coughed, his gaze shifting momentarily in obvious unease. "You can't leave the grounds, but you're free to look around, except for a few places where the guards won't let you. There's breakfast in the dining hall."

Then, before anyone else could speak, he was gone, the door sliding shut in his wake.

Sango stood gazing after him, still faintly frowning. Miroku heaved a sigh of resignation, starting toward the door, his staff jingling in his hand.

"At least they left us breakfast. I'm surprised you didn't put up a fuss," the monk added good-naturedly, nodding toward Inuyasha, who had stayed silent in his place by the window.

The hanyou snorted. "They don't trust us. Makes sense. No point arguing about it."

"I guess it's only natural," said Kagome slowly, brushing her still-tangled hair. "They do seem awfully suspicious of us, though."

"I think if it weren't for Megumi-sama, they wouldn't have let us in the castle at all," piped up Shippou, hopping up onto Kagome's shoulder. "Your hair smells extra good today, Kagome," he whispered loudly, beaming as he buried his little face in her hair. Kagome flushed with pleasure and patted the kitsune's bushy tail.

From the balcony outside the small dining hall where their meal had been laid out, the group could see the battalion of horsemen following the winding road across the fields, bright red banners snapping in the morning wind. Kagome, squinting against the light of the rising sun, thought she could see a mass of fire-colored hair at the head of the mass of soldiers.

Breakfast was like the dinner the evening before—several simple dishes done to perfection. Inuyasha disappeared soon after finishing his food, leaving the three humans and the kogitsune to their own devices.

Exploring the gardens outside the castle took up much of the morning. Shippou amused himself by trying out new tricks with leaves culled from various plants on the grounds; as it turned out, some were better than others for use in his kitsune magicks. Kagome browsed through the flowerbeds and played admiring audience to the kitsune's efforts. Eventually the two stumbled across a vast herb garden, ringed by a low stone wall, fragrant and green with rare and common healing plants alike. They spent hours going through the different varieties, Kagome trying to recall what Kaede had taught her about each of them.

Mumbling something about gaining more information on the han, Miroku marched off in a show of indignation after Sango's second slap of the day, the twin handprints on his cheeks somehow marring the expression of injured dignity he put on. The taijiya watched him go, half of her still seething at the remembered feel of the lecherous monk's touch on her curves, the other half already regretting that he had taken her so seriously as to leave. This time, it seemed, Miroku really left her alone; as the morning wore on and she continued to systematically explore the castle, Sango sensed nothing of the monk in her surroundings.

She was standing at the junction of a corridor and a hallway, wondering whether to turn left or right, when a shrill, muffled kiai dully echoed to her hearing, from beyond the double doors at the end of the hallway to the right.

Curious, Sango headed toward the doors. As she approached, a measured series of sharp, short, feminine shouts came again; it sounded as though a woman was going through kata.

After a moment's hesitation outside the double doors, Sango mustered her courage and slid one door slightly open. Peering in through the scant inch of space she had made, she stifled a gasp of surprise.

A younger girl, perhaps fifteen or sixteen, dressed in dark blue shozoku, was going through a kata full of somersaults and flips. An iron fan glittered in her hand as she alternately snapped it open and shut, in sync with her swift, precise movements. Each whirlwind set of strikes was punctuated by a fierce kiai. Sango, seeing the dark look of concentration in the kunoichi's ocean-blue eyes, could not help but admire her skill.

The kata did not take much longer. Landing into a catlike crouch from a sharp sideways kick, the girl tucked into a roll, then smoothly swept the floor of the training hall in a powerful move that would have sent a standing opponent tumbling to the ground. Momentum then pulled the girl into a vicious windmill kick, her long black braid whipping behind her. Razor-edged iron flashed in the sunlight as she sank into a final pose with a loud shout, her iron fan snapping open inches from her face.

Sango remembered to breathe.

"It's not polite to stare, you know."

"I'm sorry," and Sango slid open the door more fully, her face bright red as she entered the hall and bowed low. "I couldn't help it. You're very good."

"I'm really not that advanced yet," said the girl modestly. She had put away the fan, replacing it with a towel with which to wipe her flushed face. "Are you one of the exterminators Sano found?"

Sango bowed again, even lower than before. "Please, lady, call me Sango."

The girl laughed and bowed back. "All right, but don't call me 'lady,' call me Misao. I'm Kenshin and Sanosuke's little sister."

"I've seen very few women who are as good as you—Misao-sama." Sango watched from her side of the hall while Misao began to stretch, winding down her practice session. "And none who were trained in ninjutsu."

"Aoshi-sama teaches me." Was Misao still flushed from her practice, or was she blushing at the name?

Sango smiled. "I'm sure you do him honor with your skill."

Misao's face lit up, ocean eyes widening. "You think so? You look like you'd know..."

Sango remembered that she was still wearing her taijiya armor. After the excitement of that early morning, she hadn't felt like taking it off. "I'm not an expert in the shinobi arts, but I think—"

"What was that?" interrupted Misao, holding up her hand.

Sango instantly fell silent, strained to hear. Together the two women tilted their heads attentively.

Sure enough, a muffled crash, like thin wood shattering, came distantly from an upper floor.

"Sankon Tessou!" faintly echoed a familiar roar, followed by a feline snarl.

"Inuyasha! Kirara!" cried Sango in recognition.

She had started instinctively for the doors, but the sudden cold look Misao shot her stopped the taijiya in her tracks. "You know who those are?" the younger girl asked, as another splintering crash came from above.

"They're my friends." Sango steeled herself beneath Misao's glare—that iron fan couldn't be too far from the girl's reach, and the taijiya had just seen for herself how well the kunoichi could wield it.

"Well, your _friends_ are someplace they shouldn't be." Misao was already crouched on the railing of the balcony outside the training hall, balancing with seeming ease, poised to jump onto the roof. For another moment she eyed Sango warily.

Then, "The private armory is directly below this room," and her lithe blue-clad figure disappeared.

Whatever guards had been posted at the armory must have run out to the source of the noise, because Sango encountered no one as she rushed downstairs. Hiraikotsu was propped up against the far wall of the large room that was filled with neatly arranged weaponry.

She met Miroku and Kagome as they came hurrying in from the gardens, Shippou clinging to Kagome's arm. "We heard Inuyasha yell!" fretted the kogitsune. "What's wrong?"

A familiar feminine shriek came echoing to Sango's ears from above, amid further crashing sounds. "I don't know. We'll have to find out."

Having equipped Kagome with a full quiver from the armory, they hurried upstairs. They found two guards sprawled, bleeding freely from torn throats, at the foot of the staircase leading up to the third floor where the noise was coming from; not a few hours ago, the same guards had barred Sango from climbing those same steps. Miroku listened for a pulse and shook his head. Sango grimly tightened her hold on her boomerang and bounded up the stairs, the monk and the girl at her heels.

"Stay back!" she said sharply, reaching the topmost step. Throwing out one arm to keep her friends from following too closely, she fished out her mask with her other hand and strapped it on. "Gas!"

Two large shoji panels had been completely ripped from their moorings and thrown across the main corridor; broken beams and splinters were scattered across the floor in their wake. A thick white cloud, smelling sickly sweet, hung dense in the air. Sango lost no time in applying salve to her eyes before forging forward through the miasma; the salve stung fiercely for a few moments, but would keep her vision from blurring with tears in the acrid air.

The fog of poison was thickest in the room that had only recently lost its walls. Unable to use her boomerang in the small space, Sango instead brought out her wakizashi and squinted through the gas, dimly hearing feminine coughing sounds and Inuyasha's swearing.

"Kazaana!" she heard Miroku shout behind her. Quickly she wrapped her arm around a thick column of wood. As the gas began to whirl away, sucked into the air rip in the monk's hand, Misao stumbled past with a startled scream, pulled by the same force. Sango grabbed for the kunoichi's hand and missed by inches.

"Misao-sama!" she shouted. Wide, frightened ocean eyes snapped toward her.

But just as abruptly as it opened, the air rip was closed. Misao's shriek ended in a strangled shout as she plowed full force into Miroku, sending them both flying into another shoji across the hall.

At least Miroku had resealed his Kazaana in time. Drawing a deep breath to steady herself, Sango looked quickly around the room, now blown clear of poison gas and much of the debris of other shoji panels that had been destroyed. A mangled futon lay in the corner, as well as a broken folding screen. Several bloody bodies, clothed in black, lay limp and twisted on the floor of the room; some had been slashed with single blades, but others bore the telltale five-fold wounds that could only have come from a certain hanyou's claws.

Inuyasha had braced himself against another solid wooden column and held a white-covered human-sized bundle in his arms. As Sango watched, the bundle moved and a mess of shiny black hair spilled out, onto what the taijiya belatedly realized was a blanket. Sango's questioning gaze flicked up to meet Inuyasha's.

"It's over," said the hanyou shortly, cradling the feebly moaning human girl with a gentleness that belied his gruff tone. "Kirara went out to make sure of that. This wench is injured. Where can I put her down?"

A horrified shriek from behind them nearly stopped Sango's heart.

"I should _gut_ you, you filthy monk!"

Sango sighed; Inuyasha would have slapped his forehead if his hands hadn't been full. Out in the ruined hallway, Kagome's flustered voice and Miroku's honeyed tones rose in counterpoint to an enraged kunoichi's further threats of violence.

The taijiya sheathed her sword and shrugged. "I suppose our room is as good as any."

_tsuzuku

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**A/N. **I seem to be having trouble finding things for Shippou to do... sweatdrop. 

Many thanks to those who have reviewed! I don't have enough words to express how sorry I am that updating this little fic has been so slow. But since I'm on Christmas break at last, I do intend to get a few more installments in before school resumes in January. Dare I hope that I'm getting a bit of a better handle on this story by now?...

Feedback is food for my soul! Please feed a starving writer.


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